10. Roger Staubach
Career stats: 22,700 passing yards, 153 touchdowns, 109 interceptions
Individual accolades: 2-time Super Bowl champion, 6-time Pro Bowl selection and the 1978 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
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10. Roger Staubach
After winning the Heisman Trophy following his junior season at Navy, Staubach’s NFL career was delayed while he served his four-year military commitment. First starting a game at 29, Staubach went on to lead the Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories in five appearances from 1970-1978. ‘Captain America’ captured the 1971 MVP and Super Bowl VI MVP, and is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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9. Warren Moon
Career stats: 49,325 passing yards, 291 touchdowns, 233 interceptions
Individual accolades: 9-time Pro Bowl selection, NFL MVP (1990) and the 1989 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
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9. Warren Moon
The first undrafted quarterback to make the Hall of Fame, Moon had an illustrious career in both the NFL and CFL. After winning five Grey Cups in the CFL, Moon started a Hall of Fame career in the NFL with the Houston Oilers. Following nine Pro Bowl appearances, Moon retired finishing in the top-five in passing yards, TD’s, attempts, and completions. If Moon’s statistics from the CFL and NFL were combined, his numbers would be almost unmatched in the history of football. In 2006, Moon became the first African American quarterback to be enshrined in Canton.
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8. Troy Aikman
Career stats: 32,942 passing yards, 165 touchdowns, 141 interceptions
Individual accolades: 3-time Super Bowl champion, 6-time Pro Bowl selection, 1993 First Team All-Pro selection
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8. Troy Aikman
The No. 1 pick out of UCLA in 1989, Aikman quarterbacked the great Cowboys dynasty of the early 90s. Aikman led the Cowboys to a 32-17 trouncing of the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII, completing 22-of-30 passes for 273 yards and 4 TDs. Aikman then led the Cowboys to two more Super Bowls in the next three years, capped off by a 27-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. Aikman amassed over 32,000 yards and 165 TDs in 12 seasons, ending his career with a 3-0 record in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for Aikman, his Hall of Fame career was cut short in 2001 following his tenth concussion.
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7. Johnny Unitas
Career stats: 40,239 passing yards, 290 touchdowns, 253 interceptions
Individual accolades: 1-time Super Bowl champion, 3-time NFL champion, 10-time Pro Bowl selection, 4-time NFL MVP (1957, 1959, 1964, 1967)
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7. Johnny Unitas
Once the gold standard for NFL quarterbacks, ‘The Golden Arm’ was a 3-time MVP, 3-time NFL champion, and the winning quarterback of Super Bowl V. Unitas set the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (47) between 1956-1960 – a mark that stood until Drew Brees surpassed the record in 2012. Unitas still ranks 10th all-time with 290 touchdown passes. His performance in the two-minute drill garnered him the nickname ‘Mr. Clutch,’ and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
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6. Dan Marino
Career stats: 61,361 passing yards, 420 touchdowns, 252 interceptions
Individual accolades: 9-time Pro Bowl selection, 3-time First team All-Pro, NFL MVP (1984)
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6. Dan Marino
The greatest quarterback to never win a Super Bowl, Marino held the record for most touchdown passes (420) and most career completions (4,967) when he retired. In Marino’s 1984 MVP season, the Dolphins made their only Super Bowl appearance under Marino, losing to the Joe Montana-led 49ers 38-16. During his MVP season, the 9-time Pro Bowler became the first quarterback to throw for over 5,000 yards in a single season, as well as the first to surpass 40 touchdown passes in a season. To go along with his rocket arm, Marino arguably possessed the quickest release the league has ever seen.
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5. Brett Favre
Career stats: 71,838 passing yards, 508 touchdowns, 336 interceptions
Individual accolades: 1-time Super Bowl champion, 11-time Pro Bowl selection, 3-time First team All-Pro, 3-time NFL MVP (1995-1997)
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5. Brett Favre
The ultimate gunslinger, Favre holds NFL records for most pass completions, attempts, interceptions, starts, and wins. The only quarterback to win three consecutive MVPs, Favre is also the only quarterback to win a playoff game over the age of 40. A Super Bowl champion, Favre ranks 2nd all-time with 508 TD passes. For all of the personal accolades, Favre’s most impressive achievement might be his durability, as seen during his NFL-record 321 consecutive starts.
Following his retirement from the Packers, Favre decided to come back and play for the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, who he helped lead to the NFC Championship. After leaving a bitter taste in the mouth of the Green Bay fan base, Favre made amends and had his jersey retired at Lambeau Field in 2015.
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4. Peyton Manning
Career stats: 71,940 passing yards, 539 touchdowns, 251 interceptions
Individual accolades: 2-time Super Bowl champion, 5-time NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013), 14-time Pro Bowl selection
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4. Peyton Manning
Arguably the greatest regular season quarterback ever, Manning cemented his place among the games elite by capturing his 2nd Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl 50. Manning retired a 5-time MVP, holding the NFL records for most touchdowns (539) and passing yards (71,940). Manning came off serious neck surgery to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2012 with the Denver Broncos. A 14-time Pro Bowl selection, Manning’s one knock has always been his play in the postseason. And although his performance in Super Bowl 50 was rather underwhelming, the second ring will go a long way in helping elevate his legacy.
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3. John Elway
Career stats: 51,475 passing yards, 300 touchdowns, 226 interceptions
Individual accolades: 2-time Super Bowl champion, NFL MVP (1987), 9-time Pro Bowl selection
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3. John Elway
The storybook ending to a Hall of Fame career, Elway capped his legacy by winning back-to-back Super Bowls, defeating the Packers and Falcons. The ultimate dual-threat, Elway rushed for four touchdowns in his Super Bowl appearances. Tom Brady is the only quarterback matching Elway’s five Super Bowl appearances, and he ranks among the top five in the four major passing categories (completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns). His 14 playoff wins stand amongst the best in the game, and his all-time winning percentage of .641 shows his greatness. Elway has followed his Hall of Fame career by leading the Broncos to four division titles, two AFC Championships and a Super Bowl title as Executive VP/GM of the Broncos.
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2. Joe Montana
Career stats: 40,551 passing yards, 273 touchdowns, 139 interceptions
Individual accolades: 4-time Super Bowl champion, 8-time Pro Bowl selection, 2-time NFL MVP (1989, 1990)
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2. Joe Montana
Four Super Bowl appearances, four victories, three MVPs and 11 touchdown passes – Montana’s performances in the Super Bowl are nothing short of spectacular. And with these victories coming against Dan Marino and John Elway, the Super Bowls look even better. The master of the West Coast offense is arguably the most clutch player in NFL history. Montana holds Super Bowl records for most passes without an interception (122 in four games) and a quarterback rating of 127.8.
Montana led his teams to 31 come-from-behind victories in his career, including all-time moments such as “The Catch” and his touchdown pass in the closing moments of Super Bowl XXIII. And while he safely held the title of G.O.A.T for two decades, the next player on this list’s consistent excellence leaves Montana at #2.
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1. Tom Brady
Career stats: 66,159 passing yards, 488 touchdowns, 160 interceptions
Individual accolades: 5-time Super Bowl champion, 2-time NFL MVP (2007, 2010), 13-time Pro Bowl selection
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1. Tom Brady
Two miraculous plays away from being 7-0 in Super Bowls, Tom Brady’s case as the greatest quarterback of all-time is strong. With more Super Bowl appearances (7) and playoff victories than any quarterback in NFL history, Brady’s ability to win without dominant supporting casts is nothing short of incredible.
Now a 5-time Super Bowl champion, 4-time Super Bowl MVP and 2-time NFL MVP with a TD-INT ratio of 456-152, at 40 years old, the former Michigan Wolverine shows absolutely no sign of slowing down. With legendary performances in countless high-pressured games – none better than his masterful comeback performance against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI – Brady has safely asserted himself as the greatest quarterback of all-time.
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